Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my esteemed colleague from Maryland, Elijah Cummings, in order to congratulate Herman and Marjorie Williams of Baltimore, Maryland, as they celebrate sixty years of marriage. Since they exchanged their vows on November 24, 1949, these high school sweethearts have been extraordinary parents, friends, and members of their community.

Over the decades of their marriage, they contended against racism and segregation as they pursued their careers, Herman as one of the first black firefighters in Baltimore and Marjorie at Westinghouse. Their commitment to hard work and to their family never wavered.

Herman eventually became the nation's first African-American major- city fire chief and Marjorie retired after a long and exemplary career. Even after her retirement, Marjorie has volunteered her time with many charitable organizations, dedicating herself to helping the less fortunate. Always an adventuresome spirit, she has also continued to pursue her love of travel.

The two of them together raised four wonderful and successful children: Marjorie, Clolita, Montel, and Herman. Marjorie and Herman have a fierce dedication to their family, and the values they instilled led their children to prominent careers in the arts, education, civil service, and broadcast media.

The Williams have been an inspiration to their friends, their family, to their community, and to everyone determined to triumph in the face of adversity.

On November 28, 2009, they celebrated their anniversary along with family and friends. Please join us in wishing them the best of luck as they continue to spend their lives loving and supporting each other and bringing joy and happiness to their family and friends.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus I rise today in honor of my colleague and fellow CBC member, the Honorable Bobby L. Rush. Throughout his distinguished career, Congressman Rush has served as a determined leader for civil rights and a passionate advocate for our nation's least fortunate citizens and their communities. On Saturday, November 28th, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the RainbowPUSH Coalition will honor Congressman Rush during ``Bobby Rush Day,'' a celebration of his life and service.

Congressman Rush was born in Albany, Georgia, in 1946 and spent his childhood growing up on the north and west sides of Chicago. As a child, his Boy Scout Master encouraged Bobby to pursue public service. Congressman Rush enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17, which marked the beginning of what was to become a lifelong career in public service. After serving honorably for 5 years, he left the Army to attend Roosevelt University, where he graduated with honors in 1973.

It was during this time that Congressman Rush began his passionate advocacy for the basic civil and human rights of minorities, as a member of the Civil Rights Movement. In addition to serving as a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Congressman Rush co- founded the Illinois Black Panther Party in 1968. With the Panther Party, Congressman Rush organized the Free Breakfast for Children program and established a Free Medical Clinic, which gained renown as the nation's first to develop a mass sickle cell anemia testing program.

This commitment to the health and dignity of communities of color has been a remarkable trademark of Congressman Rush's career in public service. After serving as an Alderman in the Chicago City Council for 8 years, Congressman Rush was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993 to serve Illinois' First Congressional District. Congressman Rush has been a strong leader and vocal proponent for issues such as health care reform, job creation, environmental protection, gun control and ending the embargo against Cuba. Most recently, as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, Congressman Rush used his deft leadership to shepherd the bipartisan passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (H.R. 4040), which modernized the Consumer Product Safety Commission and established essential safety requirements for children's products.

An ordained Baptist minister, Congressman Rush has remained true to the principles of truth and justice throughout his distinguished

career. Today we rise in appreciation, not only of his contributions to date, but in anticipation of that which he will accomplish in the future. He is, and continues to be, an inspiring advocate for equality and a voice for the voiceless.

The Congressional Black Caucus is stronger because of Congressman Rush's diligent work. His clarity of purpose and vision reinforces the CBC's role as the ``Conscience of the Congress.'' For that we are deeply grateful. We salute and celebrate this great leader for freedom and justice.

To all, we wish you a very happy ``Bobby Rush Day!''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the contributions of a truly great American who is with us today, the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson.

Twenty-five years ago, Rev. Jackson embarked on a trailblazing run for the Presidency which really did energize our Nation and was an inspiration to millions. Many Members of this body are here today as a result of the movement Rev. Jackson led.

Rev. Jackson's run for the White House gave us more than hope. He showed us how to build a serious grass-

roots movement that cut across race and class. We learned how to empower and engage our communities so that our voices would be heard and our issues addressed.

In the 25 years since Rev. Jackson's historic run for the Presidency, America has witnessed monumental changes culminating in our Nation electing the first African American President. Much remains to be done in this great Nation to achieve the American Dream, but Rev. Jackson's example of perseverance and coalition-building continues to inspire hope and change and provide for the participation of all of those in our great democracy.

Rev. Jackson, you have shown us that if the dream can be conceived, it can be achieved. And we honor you today.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. And let me thank again the Representative from Ohio, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, for her leadership and for continuing to voice the concerns of so many who may or may not have a voice in this House. And I want to thank you for tonight's Special Order on the needs of American women, because in this economic downturn, where women still only make about 66 cents to the dollar, women again are feeling the brunt of these very, very desperate times. And so thank you again for continuing to keep our Congressional Black Caucus focused on addressing issues that don't always receive the attention that they deserve. Thank you, Congresswoman Fudge.

So let me just talk very briefly about the issue of adolescent health and the challenges that many young women and girls face in accessing the tools and information they need to really just take care of themselves. For too

long now, our country has led with an abstinence-only policy when it comes to sex education for our young people. Unfortunately, for women, and women of color, and our young girls, that policy has led to an increase in teen pregnancies and in the rate of sexually transmitted infections.

Today, the rate of unintended teen pregnancies in the United States is much higher than most other developed nations. Each year, almost 750,000 women between the ages of 15 and 19 get pregnant. That's 750,000 women. And the vast majority of these pregnancies occur among women of color. The sad reality is that before they turn 20, 53 percent of young Latinas and 51 percent of young African American women will become pregnant at least once. The comparable rate among non-Hispanic white young women is 19 percent. That is just outrageous.

It doesn't end there, though. Each year there are about 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections, and almost half of them occur in young people ages 15 to 24. The CDC recently found that young sexually active teenage girls are especially at risk as nearly one in four is living with a common sexually transmitted infection. Among sexually active African American teenage girls, nearly one in two is living a sexually transmitted infection. When it comes to HIV and AIDS, the story gets a heck of a lot worse. African American women are nearly 15 times more likely to have HIV than white women, while Latinas are four times more likely to have HIV than white women. AIDS is also the leading cause of death among African American women between the ages of 24 and 34.

So, clearly, we're not doing our part to provide women and our young people with the tools that they need to protect themselves. That's why I've introduced H.R. 1551, the Responsible Education About Life Act. I call it let's get real, my REAL Act. This bill will create the first Federal funding stream dedicated to teaching our young people about comprehensive sex education. The statistics I just mentioned really warrant this type of a bill to be passed and signed into law. Our young people need to know how to protect themselves.

Yes, we need abstinence, and we need to teach our young people abstinence. But abstinence by itself does not work. We need an abstinence-plus approach that teaches about contraceptive use and condoms to prevent unplanned pregnancies and to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections. And so, once again, we have to look at some of the policies of the past and see exactly how devastating they have been in terms of the impact on our young women.

And I certainly say the abstinence-only policy, based on the statistics I just read you tonight, deserves to be dismantled and abandoned, and we need to allow states to use Federal funding, if they so desire, and if the states think that this is the strategy they want to use, and that is, allow Federal money to be distributed to the states to teach comprehensive sex education to our young people so that they can grow up, go to school, do whatever they want to do without worry of unintended pregnancies or HIV and AIDS or sexually transmitted infections.

So thank you, Congresswoman Fudge, for allowing me to speak this evening on this very tough issue. Sometimes we try to sweep these issues under the rug. But I think when it comes to our young women, our young girls, we have to be for real, and we have to talk about what we can do to help them protect themselves. Thank you again.

Mr. Speaker, I support affordable health care and this Democratic bill so that domestic violence may never be used ever again as a preexisting condition.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I rise in strong support of this bill. Known historically as the conscience of the Congress, we recognize that it is our moral responsibility to pass this today.

I want to thank the gentleman and commend him and the other Chairs of the tri-committees as well as our leadership and our Speaker for bringing us to this point today.

The strong public option in this bill will provide our constituents with the choice and competition they want. It will help improve health equity and help eliminate health disparities, and this bill recognizes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It will help people who choose to keep their private plans by limiting annual rate increases by insurance companies.

Today's historic vote is another step forward in our quest for social justice. It really is about life and death, but it's not the end of the process. The Congressional Black Caucus will keep fighting until a final bill is on the President's desk.

Today, finally, health care will become a basic human right for all, rather than a privilege for the few. We all have been called today for such as this. Let us rise to the occasion and vote ``yes'' on affordable health care for all.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment inserts the Federal Government further directly into the medical decisions that a woman makes with her doctor.

As a person of faith who was raised in the Catholic Church, I have the deepest respect for Mr. Stupak and Mr. Pitts. I know personally the moral dilemmas women face in making personal decisions about abortion, but I'll tell you one thing, I remember the days of back alley abortions, and this amendment takes us one step back to those dark days.

This amendment goes way beyond the Hyde amendment that denies Federal funds for abortion and attempts to dictate to women how to spend their own money. It is simply outrageous. It is outrageous.

It further places the religious views, mind you, of some into our public policy. Again, we're a democracy; we're not a theocracy. The separation of church and State requires us as legislators to never cross this line and it allows personal religious views to be personal. We should not, as Members of Congress, compromise this separation. And low-income women especially will be hurt by this amendment. Reject it.

Madam Speaker, today I missed rollcall vote No. 841, on a motion ordering the previous question on the rule for H.R. 3639, The Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on this rollcall vote.

Let me thank the gentleman for yielding. I will say I do miss you and miss serving on your committee, but I want to thank you for your leadership and for everything you're doing to try to help shepherd our economic recovery.

Mr. Chairman, let me just say how pleased I am to support H.R. 3639, the Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act.

I have to thank Congresswoman Maloney and you for following through on the promise that you made. I don't know if you remember this, Mr. Chairman, but on the floor, you made a promise to Congressman Watt and to me on April 30, which is when the House passed these critical protections for credit card holders. I had gone to the Rules Committee to actually put this 90-day deadline back into the CARD legislation via an amendment, but I did withdraw my amendment based on the assurances of the chairman that, in his words, if banks are using the time--and this is what you said, Mr. Chairman--to take advantage of consumers and if they're trying to get in some last licks before the rule goes into effect, we would speed up the date. The banks are certainly getting in some last licks.

I just want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for following up on your promise and on your commitment, because the situation is really desperate for so many people.

We all have constituents who have been really shocked by their banks or by their credit card companies which have suddenly raised their rates on already existing balances without notice and without any negative activity on a consumer's credit report. We have all read the news reports about the initiation of all sorts of new fees on transactions: charging consumers who are paying their bills on time and these inactivity fees. I guess they charge you for doing nothing at all.

Clearly, the banks pleaded for just a little extra time to fully implement these new reforms. They're using that time to pad their profits at the expense of American families. This is unconscionable. It really is immoral. We should be totally outraged about this practice.

So I have to thank you again, Chairman Frank, Congresswoman Maloney and Mr. Watt, for your commitment to consumer rights and for your hard work on this very vital reform. Hopefully, consumers now will get the justice that they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in opposition to H. Res. 867. The United States has a responsibility to engage in tough and in honest diplomatic efforts for peace as a purveyor of human rights and the rule of law in the Middle East and throughout the world.

The Goldstone Report raises many questions, its most critical recommendation being that both parties, mind you, both parties conduct their own impartial investigation to find answers.

Neither a dismissal nor an endorsement of the Goldstone Report will change the facts on the ground for Israelis and Palestinians who continue to struggle for a life of normalcy and peace.

Indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by Hamas against Israel have terrorized and killed innocent Israelis, leaving entire communities in grips of fear. The United States and the international community have consistently condemned these attacks and reaffirmed Israel's right to self-defense.

The tragic deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza and the devastation brought upon their homes, schools, and infrastructure has worsened a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. Residents of Gaza and the West Bank continue to lack appropriate access to the most fundamental needs, including food, fuel, water, sanitation, education, health care, and the basic materials needed to rebuild their communities.

The urgency and the gravity of these harsh realities on both sides require that Congress act always with an eye toward peace and reconciliation. In the words of President Obama in Cairo in June of 2009, he said, ``All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear.''

As Members of Congress, we can never hesitate or shy away from defending the United States' indispensable role in the peace process if we hope to achieve these goals. This resolution does not bring us closer to realizing a two-state solution.

It doesn't lead us to securing Israeli peace and security nor Palestinian peaceful coexistence and for their citizens a life of respect.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, October 29, I missed rollcall vote No. 831 on H. Res. 729, expressing support for designation of a ``National Firefighters Memorial Day'' to honor and celebrate the firefighters of the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on this rollcall vote.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him also for carrying this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I am in strong support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 45, which encourages the Government of Iran to allow the three American citizens detained in Iran to reunite with their families as soon as possible.

Since July 2009--I think it was July 31--Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd have been detained by the Government of Iran after inadvertently, inadvertently, crossing the unmarked border with Iran while attempting to hike in the mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan. Now, Sarah is a constituent, but Joshua and Shane, they are all graduates of the University of California in Berkeley, which is located in my district.

I have had the opportunity to talk with family members of Sarah, and I know how difficult it is for them during these trying times and I know how they are doing everything they can do to seek their release.

Reports indicate that for 3 months, the families of these young American citizens have had no contact with the detained, whether in person or by telephone. The lack of information regarding the whereabouts and welfare of their loved ones, as well as any indication of a timeline for their release, is deeply troubling.

Under article 36 of the Vienna Convention, consular officers shall be provided access to an arrested, detained, or imprisoned national without delay. I was relieved to hear that on September 30, 2009, Swiss officials were finally granted consular access to the three detained American citizens. However, like my colleagues, like all of us, we are deeply concerned that these officials and the three lack freedom of communication, which is also provided for by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

This resolution importantly calls upon the Government of Iran to allow for Joshua, Shane, and Sarah to communicate by telephone with their families in the United States, who continue to passionately appeal to the Government of Iran for their timely and safe release. On September 22, President Ahmadinejad stated his intent to ask the Iranian judiciary to ``expedite the process'' of this case, as well as to ``look at the case with maximum leniency.''

In accordance with this resolution, I hope that the Government of Iran will live up to its promise and act without delay to ensure that these young American citizens may be reunited with their families and loved ones.

I stand in support of this resolution today. I want to thank the State Department and all of our colleagues for doing so much to try to gain the release of these three young individuals as soon as possible.

I thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, today I missed rollcall vote No. 814 on H. Res. 368, congratulating the University of Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team, and rollcall vote No. 815 on H. Res. 562, congratulating the Syracuse University lacrosse team. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H. Res. 368 as amended, and ``aye'' on H. Res. 562.

Let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding and also for your leadership, and also to our chairman because this is such an important bill. I want to thank both sides for crafting this bipartisan--bicameral, really--compromise. I also wanted to thank you and say that we appreciate your taking into consideration the concerns of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

This bill will strengthen the Minority AIDS Initiative by moving it back to a formula-based grant system requiring a GAO study and a subsequent Department plan by HHS to ensure that the Minority AIDS Initiative functions as it was intended. This initiative was begun under the leadership of Congresswoman Maxine Waters in the late nineties and it's working, but it hasn't been fully funded and the resources haven't really been directed to where the need is the greatest.

We have, as you know, a devastating epidemic in the United States, and young gay men, minorities, people of color, and women are facing the brunt of it. We've got to do a better job in protecting those who are most at risk while taking care of those already infected.

I am pleased that the President is developing a National AIDS Strategy to guide our response to this epidemic. As one who has worked consistently over the years on the global HIV pandemic both here and abroad, I think we need a PEPFAR, a domestic PEPFAR. But this is a compromise bill. It will increase the funding 5 percent each year, but I think we must do more.

Also, let me just say that we have to really take a look at some of the interventions that we know will work which are tough political issues to address, such as needle exchange, such as comprehensive sex education, such as this real epidemic. And it is in our prisons. So we have to take many, many steps to really begin to look at how to turn this around and to stamp HIV/AIDS from the face of the Earth.

So I just want to thank you Mr. Pallone and Mr. Waxman, and all of you who have taken the lead in putting this bill together.

Thank you again for yielding.

I just wanted to take a moment to call your attention to several efforts in my own home State and my own home county. One is in Alameda County.

I believe it was in 1999, we had to declare a state of emergency in the African American community, and that state of emergency helped focus attention on what was taking place in the African American community. It helped us really begin to garner resources for those wonderful community-based programs which have survived through this period, but they

need additional resources if we are going to really tackle this epidemic. And so this reauthorization will really help with our state of emergency and those organizations that are helping on the ground with minimal resources doing wonderful work.

Secondly, in my city where our great former colleague, Mayor Ron Dellums, former Congressman Ron Dellums, serves as Mayor, we have initiated, under his leadership, a ``Get Tested'' campaign, which is really about making sure that prevention and education is provided in a very real way to those most at risk. This campaign is working, and again, reauthorization of Ryan White will really help make sure that this campaign is fully successful. Getting tested is such an important strategy, and I would encourage Members, as we move forward and focus on this reauthorization, to make sure that we take some leadership and get tested and show why testing is a key strategy to prevention and education.

Finally, let me say, and I know Ms. Capps mentioned the budget crisis in California. I have talked with many of my AIDS providers--and as I said earlier, with minimal resources, they are doing unbelievable work--and now, with not only California but other States in this budget crisis, these organizations are losing their funding. And so, again, the reauthorization of Ryan White is going to help these organizations stay in business and help them provide the services that are desperately needed.

So once again, I just have to thank you, Chairman Pallone, thank all of you for this reauthorization. And though it's not everything we want, I know it's a compromise, and it's going to go a long way in helping.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th Year Anniversary of the City of Oakland's Office of Parks and Recreation (OPR). On July 25th, at an Old Fashion Community Celebration at deFremery Park, local families, sports enthusiasts and nature lovers celebrated what has been accomplished in one century: 100 parks, 2,500 acres of open space, 26 recreation and community centers, and the innumerable rewarding activities Oakland residents enjoy because of them.

In 1909 both the Playground and Park Commissions were formed. During the Playground Commission's first meeting, they allocated $600 for a vacation program at two school grounds and established a Playground Division under the Department of Public Works. One year later, the first municipal playgrounds opened at the deFremery, Bushrod and Bayview sites. The City also issued a million-dollar bond to purchase lands around Lake Merritt.

Today, we recognize the true worth of those initial investments. In addition to offering recreation services in athletics, science, art, aquatics, boating, gardening, music, and culture, Oakland's parks help foster a sense of community ownership. One OPR motto, ``Play with a Purpose,'' illustrates an important point. It reminds us that healthy, outdoor play is an essential part of our wellbeing and personal growth.

Over the last 100 years, Oakland Parks have transformed, mirroring the rich culture and history of the surrounding community: In 1932, Oakland's first Municipal Rose Garden opened its doors; the deFremery recreation center housed servicemen in December of 1941, nine days after the Pearl Harbor attacks; a camp for children with disabilities and a Senior Citizen program were created in 1948, and ten years later, the award-winning Arroyo Viejo Children's Theater opened, but succumbed to fire in 1970.

There have been Japanese Gardens, golf courses, children's folk dance festivals and choruses. Children's Fairyland, visited by Walt Disney while he developed his Disneyland concept, was the first theme park in the nation designed for small children. But, during inevitable change, one constant has remained: Oakland Parks' steadfast accessibility to people of all ages, abilities and interests.

The variety and scope of Oakland Parks' community participation is vast. For example, OPR recreation centers host Radical Roving Recreation programs that provide social, health and life skills development for underserved young people. The Golden State Warriors basketball team Makin' Hoops Program helps to renovate basketball courts and provides athletic services. On a national scale, the U.S. Olympic Trials for canoe and kayak flatwater sprint were held at Lake Merritt in 2004.

This year, Lakeside Gardens also celebrates its 50th anniversary and OPC intends to return the gardens to their original splendor. Oakland has much to look forward to as the Office of Parks and Recreation continues its commitment to beautify the city and engage park visitors in a shared civic pride.

I am confident that exciting partnerships and programs such as these will continue to thrive under the guidance of OPR's excellent leadership. In the next 100 years, the City of Oakland, partnering with the Office of Parks and Recreation, will continue to encourage community values, physical activity and personal development through the beauty of its open spaces.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mrs. Mildred Bean of Walnut Creek, California. A proud wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. ``Millie'' was exemplary in her unconditional familial devotion, diligent work ethic, dedicated national service, and her love of arts and travel. With her passing on May 27, 2009, we look to Millie's family to remind us of her life's journey and the joyful legacy she inspired.

Mildred Ross was born on January 30, 1934 in Sacramento, California. After graduating high school, Millie began local secretarial work for the government. As her family fondly tells it, Millie's long love story with Air Force officer Richard ``Dick'' Bean began when he spotted her in a red party dress. The two were soon married and embarked on a military career that would span the next two decades.

Over the following ten years, Millie and Dick raised their three young children on Long Island, New York's Suffolk County Air Force Base. After a brief assignment in North Carolina, the family moved to Clark Air Force Base located in the Philippines.

It was there that Millie and her family had the great joy of spending two years stationed together with her sister Laura Brown, Laura's husband Joe, and their four children. Millie also enjoyed her time abroad by cultivating a love of travel. She and Dick were able to visit Singapore, Bangkok, Saudi Arabia, India, Spain, and Thailand during their time in Southeast Asia.

The family eventually returned to California for their last assignment on Travis Air Force Base. After Dick retired as an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel in 1973, the couple built their dream home in Walnut Creek. When the Bean's two eldest children had left for college and their youngest was a high school sophomore, Millie returned to work and decided to pursue a college degree herself.

While working full time, Millie graduated Cum Laude from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Millie then began a respected career with the Alameda Naval Air Station where she earned numerous awards, including the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the highest honor given by the Navy to a civilian. At the time of her retirement in 1996, Millie had contributed 27 years of service to the Navy and was a GM-13 Performance Review Division Head.

In the midst of many accomplishments, Millie was quick to remind others that she was most proud of her children, Tony Bean, Kimberly Perry, and Laurie Adams. Millie's highest priority was to nurture and enjoy her extended family, which grew as her children married their spouses and gave Millie and Dick five beautiful grandchildren.

I have known Millie for many years. Her generosity, her friendship and her beautiful smile will forever be etched in my heart. She was a consistent supporter and encouraged me every step of the way. I cherished her friendship and will miss her tremendously.

After retirement, Millie and Dick enjoyed season tickets to the symphony and ballet, travel adventures in Europe and Asia, weekend getaways in Cannel, and a final vacation to Hawaii that Dick will forever treasure. Millie's joy for life was not only contagious, but an invaluable lesson to her loved ones in times of uncertainty and doubt.

Always social and active, Millie kept a monthly lunch date with friends and enjoyed taking her grandchildren to the Nutcracker Ballet. Undoubtedly, the countless small and subtle acts of love that Millie demonstrated in her lifetime will continue to be powerful gifts to the people she cherished most.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors a great human being, our beloved Millie Bean. We extend our deepest condolences to Millie's husband and family. Thank you for sharing her great spirit with us. May her soul rest in peace.